Ages of Conflict: Book 1 Concealment
by Corianin
Summary: Summer is over, the school year starting. Will the fun have to stop, or has it just begun? And how does Bella take to having to keep up a public appearance that is so very different than her life has become? Third in the Ages series.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Wow. The votes were unanimous - you all want to see Bella be changed. Well, I'm more than happy to acquiesce to your requests...just not this second. :-D Come on, she's got to go back to school someday. The Cullens may have all graduated - a lot - but she's still got things to do. We'll see how the school year pans out, eh? :)

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It seemed almost odd to know that school was right around the corner. Bella lay on her stomach on Edward's bed, idly listening to the Evanescence CD he'd just bought her while Alice tortured her hair into some sort of braid-type-thing.

"And I've already seen that we'll have most of our classes together! It's going to be great! Um, the only classes we don't have are chemistry and PE, but Edward will be there in chemistry, and Jasper's got PE with you."

"Good. At least there will be one person in PE that I can't break accidentally."

"Oh...you're going to have Mike in PE again, as well. Try not to clonk him with a volleyball this time."

"How about a basketball?" Bella muttered wryly. She knew that it would be interesting at school this year. Emmett and Rose had already graduated at the end of last year, so it would just be Edward, Jasper, and Alice with her. She wondered how she would be able to hide the events of the summer from her mannerisms.

"Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"I, um...we..." Alice understood immediately, ceasing her attack on Bella's mane and flopping down beside her to meet her eyes.

"Nothing will change what we all have together, you know that right?" Bella just nodded. "We just have to be careful how we act when other people are around. Not everyone would understand our...openness," she finished with a smirk. Bella had a sudden image in her mind that made her laugh hysterically. When she saw Alice's curious expression, it just made her laugh harder.

"Come on Bella, we don't ALL have a bond with you. Spill!" After Bella caught her breath, she grinned wickedly at Alice.

"I just had a thought...of me...and you..."

"I like this already," the pixie beside her said, touching her neck gently.

"...behind the bleachers on the field, ditching class..."

"That could be arranged," murmured Alice, twining the fingers of one hand with Bella's.

"...wrapped around each other..."

"Mmm-hmm?"

"...and being caught by Jessica," Bella finished, dissolving into laughter once more. Alice joined her and the two friends lay there for a long time just laughing with one another. Alice regained composure first.

"That would be a riot!" She smiled as she moved into a sitting position. "Not the best for your reputation, but funny all the same."

"What would be funny?" asked Edward as he strode into the room, sitting on the bed next to the giggling girls and handing Bella a slightly greasy paper bag and a large plastic cup with a straw.. "I don't see how you can eat this stuff," he muttered as she crowed happily and tore the bag open to reveal a sandwich in a cardboard box and a large sleeve of french fries. She dug in immediately, her expression morphing into one of absolute bliss as she inhaled a few fries.

"You're just jealous because they didn't come out with McDonald's in time for you to enjoy it," she said around a mouthful of grilled chicken sandwich. "Mmmm...oh god, this hit the spot..." She degenerated into happy mumbling as she chowed down, her immortal counterparts regarding her with amusement and fondness.

"So, since Bella is otherwise occupied at the moment and too busy to talk to her boyfriend," Edward began, not even bothering to flinch whenever she smacked him in the arm while still munching, "you want to tell me what you two were laughing about when I walked in?"

"Bella just had a funny thought of me and her in the middle of a heavy make-out session, behind the bleachers at school, being caught by Jessica." Edward chuckled, but the look he gave Alice - which Bella was too involved in her rare fast-food treat to observe - had the pixie nodding. Finishing up the last braid, Alice bounced to her feet.

"Well, I'm going to go track down my man. Enjoy your," she gestured to what was left of Bella's meal, "food, and I'll see you ina while!" Bella, taking a few swallows of her Dr. Pepper, just nodded.

"Later," she managed around a mouthful of french fries. Edward sat there with her, silent until she was all but done with her food.

"We need to talk about school this year, Bella," he began. Her eyes grew wide, but she popped the last bit of chicken sandwich in her mouth.

"What's up?" she asked, licking her fingers off with a carelessness that made him groan inwardly. He shook his head to clear his thoughts from the path they were taking, a path than involved something besides her fingers in her mouth, and turned his thought back to the matter at hand.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay with everything. I mean, at school, we're all going to have to act like we're just friends again." He smiled a bit. "Well, that we're just friends and family with Alice and Jasper. You and I don't have to pretend anything." She was quiet as she took a drink and he closed his eyes against the sight of her lips wrapped around the straw, the slight hollowing of her cheeks as she sucked soda from the glass. "Although I think we'd better be careful what we let you eat in public, because I know that I at least am going to have a difficult time keeping my hands to myself if I have to keep watching you eat like that." Her expression revealed nothing but innocence, yet he knew she was teasing him as she leaned down for another drink, taking half the straw in her mouth this time before sliding it out from between her lips slowly.

"I don't understand. What's wrong with the way I eat?" She couldn't hold a straight face for long, however, and one corner of her mouth quirked upward despite her best attempts to restrain it. In a flash he had her pressed back against the pillows, leaning over her with his eyes locked on hers. His voice took on a husky, needy tone that had her almost moaning.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with the way you eat...unless you want me pinning you to the table in the cafeteria and fucking you senseless in front of the entire school." He paused, pretending to think for a moment. "I'm sure Jasper would be willing to help me, too." He could feel her shiver in response. "Why, you little hedonist," he whispered, lowering his lips to hover just beside her ear as he spoke. "You like that idea, don't you? You like the thought of getting me so strung out that I don't care who's watching." He moved to trace the fingers of one hand down her arm, delighting in how she quivered beneath his touch. "That I have to take you, claim you," His words grew racier, his tone darker, and she moaned audibly. "...that I want you so much I slam you against the table and ram my hard cock into you again and again, with all of your friends, with all of the school watching." He stroked his tongue over her collarbone, lovign the way she moaned his name. "Carlisle let me see inside your mind, you know. When we were having Esme's party. How much you wanted to be the one on your hands and knees on that stage, subject to our every whim."

"Edward..." she moaned, arching upwards to press herself against him. He denied her that, though, pulling back and hearing her whine.

"Such a wanton little slut, aren't you, love? Always hungry for pleasure. Who would have thought it?" He nipped her shoulder and she gasped. "That's all well and good, but wanting it at school? You're such a bad girl, Bella." He paused, catching her dark, desperate gaze with his golden one. "I think I need to punish you for that." He never used this tone with her, was unsure how she would react. Her shuddering sigh and demurely closed eyes were all the answer he needed, and he moaned inwardly at her submission. Raising himself off of her, he sat on the edge of the bed. "Come here," he commanded, smiling at how quickly her eyes went wide and she clambered out of bed to stand in front of him. With a gesture he motioned her over his lap, and was thrilled at how willingly she draped herself across his legs. His hand came down to caress her ass through her jeans and she wiggled. Without warning, he snapped his hand down to connect with her rounded softness, and she yelped.

"Ow!" she said, sounding completely shocked.

"You sound surprised, love. I told you I was going to punish you, not play with you." He paused for a moment. "Now, I think ten good, hard strokes are in order. What do you think?" Her answer was simple. She just dropped her head and put her full weight across his knees. He smiled, an inner something in his psyche coming to the fore, something he never knew existed in his own mind. "Good girl." His second slap echoed in the room and she moaned, shifting against him. He knew she could feel his erection poking into her side, and her movements rubbed against it in a heavenly fashion. He brought his hand down again. A movement in the doorway caught his attention and he looked up to see Carlisle and Emmett standing there - apparently they were back from hunting. Emmett's eyes were wide as Edward brought his hand down again, but Carlisle...Edward didn't need an interpreter to decipher the lust rolling off him in waves. Downstairs he heard Jasper's soft moan as the emotions slammed into him with hurricane force. Again he spanked Bella's upturned ass, and she was really groaning now, the mixture of pain and pleasure driving her mad. Emmett left the doorway, leaving Carlisle alone to watch the completely erotic scene play out.

"Halfway done, darling. How does that feel? I want you to know who you belong to when you go home today." Another smack punctuated his words, and this time she let out a muffled cry, his name falling from her lips like sweetest wine. His silent audience seemed rooted to the spot, eyes darkening as he watched Edward and Bella. The scene remained through the last four strokes, and Carlisle met Edward's eyes directly before turning and walking downstairs. Bella squirmed, coming to her feet in front of him, her own eyes wide with slight pain and superb ecstasy. He realized with no small amount of shock that she was close to orgasm.

"Edward..." she said softly. He inclined an eyebrow, silently asking a question. She nodded, stripping her shirt over her head with one smooth motion. It took less than ten seconds for him to divest her of the rest of her clothing, another five for his, and then he had her shoved down on the matress and was sliding into her wet heat, feeling her clench around him in an instantaneous orgasm. He moaned and dropped his head to her shoulder, thrusting solidly, making her ride the waves for minutes on end.

"Bella, god...remind me to buy you McDonald's more often," he whispered, picking up the pace. She could only hold on and agree.


	2. Chapter 2

"Something smells good!" exclaimed Charlie as he walked in through the door, hanging up his gun belt and walking into the kitchen.

"I feel like I've been neglecting you this summer, with all the time I've been out doing stuff," explained Bella, glad her voice didn't crack and her face didn't do its impersonation of a tomato as she thought of the 'stuff' she'd been doing. "So I figured it's the last week before school starts again, so I should come home to spend some time with my dad."

"Bells, you didn't have to do that." Charlie was clearly as embarrassed as he was pleased.

"I know I didn't. By the way, I hope you're hungry. I made enough spaghetti and salad to feed a small country, I think." He just chuckled.

"Well, that's probably a good thing. I didn't know if you'd be home tonight, so I invited Billy over to hang out here and watch the game."

"That's fine, I've got plenty of food," she said, stirring the sauce once more before putting the lid on the pan. As she turned to get something out of the fridge she was aware that Charlie had begun to head in the direction of the bathroom, pausing for a moment. She looked over the fridge door at him in question, and he seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

"I, uh...I know I haven't been the most supportive. About Edward. And you. You and him." Bella was going to speak up, but he raised his hand to stop her for a moment. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For not trusting your judgment." He paused before continuing. "This summer...well, it's been good for you. I can tell. You seem content. Happy. And that's a good thing. I'm glad that being with Edward and his family makes you happy. Just...well, don't forget your other friends once school starts again." With that he walked out of the room before she could comment. She stood there with the fridge door open, feeling the cool air on her skin but not really registering it. He was right, she realized. She'd spent the entire summer basking in the affection of the entire Cullen family. But when was the last time she'd talked to Angela? Or Jessica? Even Mike had called once to invite her with them to the beach, but she'd been at Edward's and gotten the message too late. She hadn't thought about it at the time, but as she stood there she realized that she'd been kind of a prat to her other friends. Shaking her head in exasperation with herself she went back to cooking dinner. A few moments later she heard a knock at the door, but Charlie was there to open it before she could walk over.

"Hey, stranger," said Billy carefully from the doorway. Bella knew he knew about the Cullens, and he didn't approve. She also knew that he'd never take it beyond disapproval, and he'd never shun her for it.

"Hey Billy," she said, using the need to drain the pasta as an excuse to not meet his eyes. "How's everything going?"

"Fine, fine. Something smells delicious. I hope you're sharing." She joined him in laughing while he and Charlie headed into the livingroom and turned back around, only to nearly drop the pan when she saw what she'd missed while draining the pasta. Jacob was standing in the open doorway.

Oh god.

Jake.

~SHIT!~ she thought frantically. ~Shit shit shitshitshit. What do I say? What do I tell him? Oh my god he'll know something's wrong.~

~What's the matter, Bella?~ came Carlisle's frantic question in her mind, so familiar yet unexpected that she really did drop the pan this time. She watched it fall in slow motion, unable to believe that it didn't actually hit the ground. She was so sure that the pasta would be everywhere that for a moment she did see it splattered all over the tile. But then the image blinked out of existence and she saw Jacob there, holding the bottom of the hot pan like it was nothing and looking at her with a curious, worried expression on his face.

"Bells, you okay?"

~Bella, is everything okay?~

They'd spoken nearly the same thing at the same time, and Bella felt like she was hearing it in stereo. She took a deep breath.

"I'm fine, I just...wasn't expecting to see you. You startled me." Jake looked almost hurt, but he covered it quickly.

~It's okay. Jake's here, he came with his dad, and I wasn't expecting it.~

~Is everything okay, or do you want one of us to come over?~

~No, everything's fine, I promise.~

~Well, take care, Bella. You know how important you are to all of us.~

~Yeah, I know.~ The entire mental conversation had taken less than the space of a verbal sentence, but it was obvious by the look on his face that Jake knew something was up.

"Spill." The only word he spoke, yet Bella couldn't find a single one of her own to answer with. She took the pan and turned back to the stove, fiddling with the dials and turning the sauce off.

"You shocked me. I didn't know you were coming over too."

"Do you want me to leave?" His voice was quiet, earnest, and she spun around - this time making sure her hands were empty - to see the sadness in his expression before he covered it with a mask of indifference.

"NO!" she said vehemently. "Of course not, Jake. I mean, I haven't seen you all summer. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing you'd find interesting, I'm sure," he said, a trace of chill creeping into his carefully even voice. "Just staying at home, fixing my car. Nothing as exciting as gallivanting around the country and forgetting all of my other friends."

"Oh, Jake..." her voice trailed off. She had no idea what to say, what to do. Suddenly she felt like the worst kind of beast for not at least calling him over the summer. "I'm so sorry," was all she finally managed, but he shrugged it off like water.

"Doesn't matter. You went where you wanted to. I'd just hoped..." He stopped, those dark chocolate eyes she knew so well filling with something undefinable before he blinked it away and the Jacob-mask settled back into place. Bella couldn't stand it.

"You hoped what?"

"Nothing. When's dinner?" She realized she wasn't going to get anything else out of him, so she began to set out plates and silverware. Reaching up above her head she strained to grab the huge plastic salad bowl on the top shelf, but wasn't having any luck. She was about to pull a chair over and stand on it when a large hand reached over her head and plucked it effortlessly from the cabinet, setting it silently on the counter. She turned to find Jake standing less than six inches from her. At this proximity he towered over her, and she had to tilt her head to look up at him.

"Thank you," she said softly. He smiled then, and though it wasn't a real smile, at least it was something.

"Don't mention it. Not your fault you're so short." He ruffled her hair and she ducked away, fixing him with a playful glare.

"Yeah, not everyone can be the Jolly Green Giant, Jake," she said, pushing her hair back behind her ears so it wouldn't fall forward as she began to throw the salad fixings into the big bowl. He laughed, an almost-full laugh, and she felt the first glimmer of hope that she hadn't destroyed their friendship with her thoughtless, selfish behavior. For the next few minutes they worked in silent harmony, with Jake dumping the sauce into a bowl and putting the pasta in another one, setting them on the table while she finished tossing the salad together. Without being asked he got the garlic bread out of the oven and sliced it into thick chunks suitable for eating plain or mopping sauce with. After putting the salad bowl on the table as well she was about to call Charlie and Billy to eat, but she paused, thinking. Decision made, she reached into the cupboard and pulled out two large plates.

"Jake, go set up the folding tv trays. They can eat and watch the game tonight."

"Really?" The one word seemed packed with everything from incredulity to eagerness, and she nodded.

"Yep. I haven't talked to you all summer, so we may as well get caught up while we eat, and I know they won't want to miss their teams." His smile was nothing short of breathtaking as he left the room, returning after a few moments to get the plates Bella had finished preparing. He took them into the other room as she was setting out their plates, and he came back followed by a chorus of "Thanks, Bells!" and "This tastes great!" With a hand she gestured to him to sit, placing two chunks of bread on his plate and handing him the spaghetti spoon and the sauce ladle. He smiled again and began piling pasta on his plate. By the time she'd gotten the gallon jug of home-brewed tea from the refrigerator and four glasses out of the cupboard he had finished dipping pasta and moved onto the sauce. She took two glasses in to the living room and deposited them on Charlie's and Billy's trays to the accompaniment of more praise for her cooking and thanks for her consideration. Returning to the kitchen she sank down into her chair and reached for the spaghetti. One look at Jake's plate had her bust out laughing.

"What?" he mumbled around a mouthful of meatball. She gestured to his plate.

"You've got enough on there to feed a small country for a month. Hungry much?" He finished chewing, swallowed, and smiled.

"In case you hadn't heard, I am a growing boy." He winked at her, not even able to hold a straight face for a minute, and soon they were both laughing and eating together like the months of separation hadn't occurred at all. Overall, Bella felt...well, comfortable. She knew they had a lot to talk about, and she had a lot of apologizing to do, but for the present it was enough for them to sit at the table, two old friends sharing a meal and an evening. It was good.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: This beginning may seem a bit confusing or like it belongs in a different story, but rest assured it belongs right here. Time to stir things up a bit. Our favorite Forksians have been getting complacent in their happiness. But what fun is that?

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"Are you sure we should be doing this? What do you really know about him anyway?" The boy looked around the forest uncomfortably, as though he was expecting the very trees to revolt on them, to take them and break them. The girl he was following moved unconcernedly through the woods, her light steps and lithe movements a direct contrast to his heavier, less certain strides. She didn't even turn around as she replied.

"Of course I'm sure. I trust him. But if you want to be a pansy-ass about it, then by all means go crying back to your mommy. She doesn't think I'm good enough for you anyway." Her tone was sarcastic, mocking, yet her voice still made him hard. That was the first thing he'd noticed about her when she came to school. He'd been sitting at his desk, and didn't even look up as the new person was pointed to the empty seat beside him. But when she'd spoken, asking softly if he had a pencil she could borrow, his eyes had snapped up and he was lost. Gorgeous, intelligent girls he could deal with and not be swayed to rash decisions. But it seemed that he couldn't refuse her anything, not when she looked at him through those long lashes and spoke in her soft, rich voice. Which is how he ended up here, traipsing through the woods behind her faerie-slender form, against his better judgment. He should just turn, go home.

"No, I'm fine. I said I'd come with you, didn't I?" His anger at his own lack of self control with her made his words come out harsher than he meant them to and she paused, turning back to him with large grey eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tate. I just really want you to meet him. I think he'd be a...great asset to you this year in school." Her tone was apologetic, her luminous eyes filled with a wordless plea, and he found himself totally unable to resist. She stepped closer to him, closer, until she could rest her palms on his chest. He took in how small she was, how very delicate, her honey-silver hair swept back from her perfect face as she tilted her head back to look up at him. Her hands slipped from his chest to his waist and he gulped, not sure if he wanted her to press closer to him or to back off entirely so he'd be spared the humiliation of having her feel exactly how much she affected him. She licked her lips, an involuntary action he knew, but one that went straight to his groin.

"Cammie..." he moaned, the sound full of yearning and shame. He knew he shouldn't want her so much. For all that they were in the same grade, he knew she was younger than he was, knew she'd been skipped ahead a couple of grades because of her intellect. He felt like the worst kind of lech for being so attracted to her, a sweet and young girl of fourteen years to his almost eighteen. She seemed to either not notice his discomfort or just not care as she stepped even closer, and he felt her press herself completely against him. He was shaking now with the strain of holding back, of keeping himself from reaching out for her.

"Trust me?" she whispered, sliding her small hands up to lock around his neck and pressing her lips to his chest.

"Cammie, god..." He was seconds from snapping. The thought scared him. He'd never felt so strongly about anyone, so absolutely desperate for a female touch. And then there was the fact that she was so petite, and he was so...not. He knew he'd break her if he let his control slip, and the thought of hurting this bewitching angel just made him want to cry, especially since he knew that if she kept herself plastered against him he'd soon lose all rational ability to stop himself.

"Do you trust me?" she asked again, fingertips tugging on the hair at the nape of his neck. ~NO!~ he wanted to scream. ~No I don't trust you! You've made my mind a mess! You make me want things I shouldn't want! I don't trust you at all!~

"Yes, Cammie...I trust you." As soon as the words left his lips she was stepping backwards, away from him.

"Come on, then. It's just a little further." With that, she turned and began walking again. Tate had to take a moment to get his bearings again, to pull himself back together in order to follow her. He knew he was sunk now. He could no more leave and go back home than he could stop breathing. Not another word was said as he followed her through the woods, but it was only a short time later that they came upon an enormous stone house. ~What? How did no one ever notice this when they were hiking or hunting?~

"Cammie?" he asked softly. She just looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.

"Come on, Tate. He's waiting." Boldly stepping up to the house, she climbed the stairs to the immense porch and crossed to stand in front of the door. He followed, almost in a daze, and soon he was standing right beside her. She reached for the doorknob and he put his hand atop hers.

"Wait! Shouldn't we, you know, knock or something first?" She smiled at him again, that angel's smile that made him weak.

"Silly, it's okay. He's expecting us." She opened the door and stepped into the house, waiting for him. "Coming?" Shaking off the immediate thoughts that her voice caressing that word evoked, he walked forward and into the house, letting the door shut behind him. There were no lights on in the room they were in, though he could see light shining out from underneath a door at the end of a small hallway to their left. She moved without hesitation towards that door and he followed, though with more caution as he could barely see where he was going. Once outside the door, she paused, turning and looking up at him. The scant light reflected in her grey eyes, making them shine like a cat's.

"You're going to love him," she whispered, turning back and opening the door. As Tate followed her in, his first thought was that this room should be impossible. There was no way a chamber so immense could fit inside the house he'd walked into. Vaulted ceilings stretched far above his head, disappearing into shadows. The floor was bare, cold stone, as were the walls. There was almost nothing in the room except for the massive fireplace on one wall, a large solid-looking table, an armchair, and a bed. The room's occupant was sitting casually in the armchair, facing Tate and Cammie, and the boy was struck by an immense wave of pure power. This man was dangerous. Suddenly Tate's natural good sense began to creep back to him, and he turned to go. Her small fingers rested gently on his bicep and she wordlessly asked him to turn and face her.

"You said you trusted me, don't you remember?" To his chagrin he nodded. "This is Tate," she said, turning back to the man in the chair. "Tate, this is Luc." The man stood, walking to them with an ease reminiscent of a panther, graceful in ways Tate couldn't even begin to describe. To his shock the man was a full head above Tate's own 6'2" frame, leanly muscled and movie-star handsome. The boy felt like he'd stepped into another world completely. Luc's eyes glittered green, then blue, then silver as he seemed to make a thorough visual inventory of his guest.

"Welcome, Tate. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Tate could only nod. Luc turned to Cammie. "You did well, pet." To Tate's amazement she quivered with pleasure, and he suddenly began to wonder what exactly her relationship to the tall gorgeous man was. A surge of totally irrational jealousy snapped into his head, and he fought it back down. It's not like she was his. He watched as Luc caressed her cheek gently, then gasped when Cammie lunged at him, wrapping her small body around Luc's much larger one and kissing him passionately. Luc returned the attention for a moment before setting her down on the ground, ignoring her protests.

"You promised, Luc!"

"And I will deliver, darling. But you must fulfill your end of the bargain. You know what our goal is." She lowered her head for a moment, then raised it again, looking straight at Tate, and the lust in her gaze nearly dropped him to his knees. She slunk towards him, her earlier grace now something else, something more. Reaching both hands out she took his, backing up and leading him with her. With no small amount of shock he realized she was pulling him towards the bed. His body screamed in happiness, his mind in fear. Something was very wrong here.

"Cammie, I don't think..." She launched herself into his arms, her lips coming down on his, and all ability to think or reason fled. He'd never felt anything like her kisses. Sure, he'd kissed other girls, even taken it a little bit father with one, but nothing in his remotely innocent life could have prepared him for the shock of her lips cool against his, her tongue snaking into his mouth. His hands moved of their own accord to cup her perfectly rounded ass and support her as she writhed against him, her movements rubbing his renewed erection and making him moan. She broke away from his mouth long enough to suck on his earlobe, and his knees shook.

"I need you inside me, Tate, right now." How they'd gotten to the bed he wasn't sure, as he didn't recall walking at all, but she flung herself backward and pulled him down on top of her, her tiny hands flicking his pants open with careless skill, and then her fingers were inside the waistband, stroking his already-hard erection, making it nearly painful.

"Cammie...wait...I've never..." She cut him off by flipping him onto his back, and he marveled at her strength. Before he was even aware of what was happening she had his pants off, his shirt unbuttoned and opened, and was straddling his waist. She rubbed herself against him, her satin panties the only thing separating her soaking heat from his throbbing dick.

"I know, Tate. That's why I want you, why I need you. I want to be the first woman you shoot your load into." The thought made him groan, and then she was yanking her shirt over her head and he got a full view of her luscious, perky breasts, the tips puffy and rock-hard. She guided his hands to the soft mounds. "Squeeze my tits, Tate. Yank my nipples while I ride you." And before he could process another thought he felt her shift her panties out of the way and force her tight slit onto his cock. He nearly screamed with the sensation, the pulling and pulsing of her depths tugging on his dick in ways he never could have imagined. She was his first, and she was exquisite. The harder she rode him, the more he wanted, until finally he flipped them both over again and slammed into her fast and hard, grunting with the strain of his own movements. He was so close, it wasn't until he was almost on the brink that he realized he wasn't wearing any protection. His eyes, panicked, met hers.

"Cammie, I -" She shut him up with a quick kiss before dropping back on the bed, arching her hips into his.

"I know, Tate. Just do it. I want your seed, Tate, I need it." Her legs came up to lock around his waist, painfully tight, and he gasped at the way it hurt at the same time his dick was buried in ecstasy. "Come on, Tate, I want you, I want to have your baby! Give it to me, knock me up!" That was all it took. He threw his head back as he felt his balls tighten, and what he saw made him scream in fear even as his body jerked and spilled itself into her willing tightness. Luc was standing by the bed, his gorgeous features twisted, his eyes glowing red. A grin displayed a row of dagger-sharp teeth as Luc bent down and bit into his shoulder and Tate screamed in agony, then screamed again, this time in horror, as he looked back down at the woman beneath him. Cammie, his angel, his not-so-innocent fantasy, eyes closed as she milked him for every drop, snapped those eyes open and he saw death in their burgundy depths. As his dick pulsed its last her legs tightened with her own climax, snapping his spine and killing him instantly.

"Way to go, Lili," snarled the tall male, using her real name. "You've wasted another one. Can't you control yourself, you dumb bitch?" Gasping still, she shoved the corpse off of her, jumping to her feet.

"And you were innocent, Luc? You couldn't wait until I'd had him to feed? You scared him half to death before he was even done spurting. Bastard." Not even bothering to redress, she reached down and picked up Tate's lifeless form. "Another one for the wolves," she said, disappearing out the door for a moment to dispose of her burden. When she returned to the room she looked wholly human again, as did the man who was once more lounging in the armchair. She walked over to him, her mood more even, and sat on his lap, leaning back into his embrace.

"It didn't take, did it?" he murmured softly. She shook her head.

"Humans seem too fragile to be good breeders. We need something stronger." He leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

"We've been over this. The fae races don't trust us. Our kind have long feuds with vampires. And weres are out of the question because they won't come near us. So we're stuck with the human race for now."

"Maybe..." she said softly, her voice almost hesitant. "But - never mind."

"What? Speak if you know something." His tone brooked no disobedience.

"Well, I've been hearing reports of shifters once again."

"Shifers? I thought that ability had been lost to the humans."

"As did I, but I've heard reports that some yet walk. They're in the northwestern states, I believe." Luc was quiet, pensive.

"If this is true...shifters are strong enough to withstand the coupling. It might work."

"But, Luc, shifters are aligned with the races of good. If they do exist, why would they trust us, why would they even believe that we're exiled?"

"I don't know, Lili. I don't know. But I think we should seek them out." He stopped long enough to kiss her gently. "Where did you say they were?"

"I heard...they were in the northwest. Washington, I think."

"Well, then, I suppose we're going to Washington."

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Bella lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She missed Edward - it had been so long since she'd slept alone that it was odd to her. But he was out hunting, since school was less then three days away, and she was left to watch the patterns the moon made on her ceiling and walls.

~May I come in?~ She started, her gaze snapping to the windows. There beyond the glass sat Carlisle, watching her with a fond grin on his flawless features. She jumped up and flung her window open, stepping back so he could enter.

"Why didn't you just open it yourself?" she asked quietly, stepping into his hug.

"Oh, Bella, you know we can't enter without an invitation." His eyes twinkled with mischief and she slapped his arm.

"Have you been watching Dracula movies again? Those things are bad for you, you know." He sank onto the bed, pulling her into his arms.

"I knew you'd be having trouble sleeping without Edward, so I thought I'd lend my services as a pillow." She snuggled against him, resting her cheek on his chest while he pulled her close.

"Much appreciated," she murmured. They lay in silence for a while, but Bella could feel he had something on his mind. "Okay, Spill."

"I'm sorry?"

"What's got you thinking so hard? I can feel it." He chuckled.

"Just...well, I'm not sure how to even bring this up." Bella sighed and raised up on her elbows to meet his golden gaze.

"How about, you just start talking and we go from there." His smile was beautiful.

"Okay, then. We can do that." He paused to gather his thoughts. "I've noticed that you seem to enjoy some of the...rougher...aspects of sex." She blinked, blushing hard. This wasn't the conversation she'd been expecting.

"You could say that," she whispered, looking away from him. He reached down, one finger gently tilting her head up to meet his eyes again.

"Don't hide from me. You are one of the most sensual people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. It's not a sin to enjoy yourself. That's actually kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." He seemed nervous, and though it was odd to see Carlisle jittery, it made her feel a bit better.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"Well, I was wondering if you might be, well, interested in...trainingasasubmissive," he finished in a rush. Bella stopped breathing. Had she heard him right?

~Are you serious?~ she thought, not able to find her voice at the moment.

~Absolutely,~ he replied to her mind. ~You would be a beautiful sub, Bella. And...well, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but it is one of Edward's fantasies.~

"Really?" she said aloud, her voice choosing that moment to make its magical reappearance. He just nodded, speaking out loud as well.

"He mentioned it to Esme once, when she was having trouble adjusting to some of her desires. I think he didn't mean to say anything, but he did. And I know for a fact nothing would turn him on more than you as his pet. Since you've convinced us to start celebrating birthdays again...I can't think of a better present for him." Bella was silent. Could she do this? She didn't know. Did she want to? She couldn't deny the thrill that raced up her spine at the thought of being at someone else's mercy. The times she'd relinquished control to someone else...she shivered remembering how much it had turned her on.

~Talk to me, Bella. Did I make a mistake in asking this?~ She shook her head.

~It's a lot to process, Carlisle. I mean, I don't know the first thing about being submissive. I wouldn't know where to start.~ She felt his silent groan.

~God, Bella. You don't know how beautifully you react to commands, do you?~ He traced his lips through her hair. ~Remember that night in Greece, when I told you to go into the house and wait for me?~ She nodded. ~Why did you kneel on the floor like that?~

~I don't know. It just...felt right.~

~Exactly. You're a natural. And there is nothing, I mean nothing, more erotic to Edward than the thought of you serving his every whim. He will never say anything, but he shouldn't have to.~ Carlisle wrapped her in his embrace and she relaxed totally. ~Just think on it. Let me know what you decide. Anything you choose will be just fine.~ She looked at him, stretching upward to kiss him softly.

~I'll give it some thought. I can't deny the idea had appeal, but...well, I'm assuming you're suggesting that I be trained before his birthday, correct? Who would train me?~ He smiled at her.

~Me.~ Bella sat upright, staring at him in shock.

"You...you know this?" He reached out, taking her hand, his thumb caressing her soft skin.

"There are many things I know, Bella. I've been around almost four centuries. Not every second has been spent in the medical field." He knew she knew his background, but not even Edward knew everything.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Well, it wasn't like it comes up in conversation easily. Besides, I've got to keep some secrets," he teased. "Come on, Bella. Time for you to sleep." He coaxed her back down against him and despite her desire to stay awake and talk, the fatigue of the day caught up with her and she yawned.

~Sleep, love. I'll be here when you wake.~ Bella's last thought before drifting off was how very hot Carlisle would look holding a riding crop. Then everything was dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Don't worry. That seemingly out of place part in the last chapter will definitely fall into its designated little slot in the story in its own good time. But that time is not come yet. So for now, I leave you with more Cullen-y goodness. Ta!

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~Why does morning have to come so early?~ she thought, snuggling further under her blankets.

~Because if it came later, then it wouldn't give you something to complain about for the rest of your day.~ Bella snapped totally awake, startled, before she remembered that Carlisle had come to stay with her the night before. Head under the blankets, she curled closer to him and tried to forget the fact that she had to wake up for school. The blankets, however, seemed to have a mind of their own and flung themselves off the bed. Looking up at the golden haired god with the wicked gaze, Bella growled. He just laughed at her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Come on now, Bella. Time to get ready for school."

"Ugh. Don't remind me." She really wasn't looking forward to school today, for various reasons. And if she were honest with herself, one of those reasons was currently stretched out on her bed and looking at her with smiling eyes. Despite how much she wanted to just climb back on top of him and go back to sleep, she knew he wouldn't allow it. Edward never did either. So she shook her head for a moment to clear the dream fuzzies from her brain and stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom. Brushing her teeth, untangling her hair...it all made her feel more awake, but her mind was still confused over the dream she had, a dream of a man and a woman running from a gigantic black cloud that threatened to engulf them. It made no sense to her, so she resolved to forget about it, instead finishing up her morning routine and heading back out to find Carlisle exactly where she'd left him, stretched out on her bed like he belonged there.

"You know, it should be illegal for you guys to look as stunning as you always do when the rest of us have to work to look mediocre," she grumbled, turning her attention to her closet. Her clothing collection had undergone yet another metamorphoses, compliments of Alice she knew, and she searched through shirts and pants and dressed to find something she felt like wearing. A graceful hand reached over her shoulder and plucked a plain blue-grey button-up shirt and a pair of relaxed fit jeans from the clothes rod. She turned to thank Carlisle only to find herself staring at tousled bronze hair.

"Edward!" she cried, launching herself into his arms. He caught her easily, leaning down to kiss her thoroughly before putting her back on her feet.

"I thought I'd offer you a ride to school, since it would look a little strange for you to show up with Carlisle," he teased, gently tapping her nose with one long finger. "Now, go get dressed."

"You're sending me away and you just got here?" she joked. He raised an eyebrow, expression perfectly neutral.

"Well, if you want to strip for us here, I'm sure neither of us would object." He turned to look at Carlisle who simply smiled. Bella groaned.

"Okay, you two, it's going to be hard enough to behave myself at school. Don't make it worse!" She darted into the bathroom to escape the mischief bubbling in Edward's expression.

~Make it worse how, Bella?~ came the soft, caressing tones in her mind. ~By reminding you how much you enjoyed these last few months?~

"Carlisle, so help me..." she growled out loud. She heard two different voices laughing from the other side of the door.

~On a serious note, have you given any thought to my proposition from last night?~ She paused in the act of buttoning her shirt.

~Sort of. I plan to think more on it now that I'm actually awake.~

~Take your time, love. Just let me know what you decide.~ By this point she was dressed, her minimal makeup applied, and almost ready for school. She stepped out of the bathroom to find Carlisle standing beside Edward.

"Well, love, I've got to get going. Have fun at school!" He leaned down to kiss her lightly before heading back towards the window.

"Yes, Daddy," she said wryly. He paused, turning to look back at her, an unreadable expression in his eyes, and Edward fell apart laughing. Bella was confused.

"What did I say?" She looked from one to the other, her obvious puzzlement making Edward laugh harder. Carlisle just stared at her for another moment, then smiled and dropped easily from the windowsill. Bella turned to Edward.

"Mind telling me what I missed?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. He stopped laughing, though his smile was a mile wide.

"You should have seen the images in his mind when you called him 'daddy'. I thought he was going to pass out."

"Why?" Now she really was confused. Edward leaned forward, resting his hands on her shoulders and gently sliding them up to tangle in the hair at the nape of her neck.

"Think about it, Bella. Do you think he's ever been called 'Daddy' by a woman he's spent untold hours making love to? It's a little odd," he snickered. Bella finally got it, blushing deeply.

"Oh. I see. Well, I won't do THAT again." Edward shook his head.

"Oh, no, don't say that. It's good for him to be startled once in a while. Doesn't happen nearly often enough. Besides, I think he kind of liked it," he added with a wink. He took advantage of her shock to kiss her thoroughly before reaching over to her bed and grabbing her backpack. "Ready for the first day of the new school year?

Bella, head spinning, just grumbled and followed him out into the grey, drizzly morning.


	5. Chapter 5

"You know they're going to hunt us. Your kind, my kind. Anyone that learns what we are will consider us fair game." He simply nodded at her, pulling her closer.

"Do you want to stop? Hide for a while?" She shook her head, burrowing into his arms.

"It wouldn't matter. Celestials have long memories."

"As do the Hellbound. But I leave it to you, my darling." For a long moment they stood there, cloaked by shadows. Finally she spoke, her voice quiet, timid.

"We need to go. There is only one way to end their hunt, and you and I both know it. But...I'm scared, Luc. They won't stop until they've destroyed us."

"Then we just need to stall them until we have a child." He curled his arms around her, both of them taking comfort in their human forms for the moment. "Think about it, Lili. A child. Our child. Not only a continuation of ourselves, but an end to the feuding. It's unheard of, but we will succeed where others have failed. And you know why?" He pushed her back enough to look down at her worried face. She smiled, a weak one, but a smile, and he took heart from it.

"Why?" she asked, playing along. He leaned down, his lips capturing hers with such emotion that she imagined if they'd been mortal they would have both died from shock. They finally separated, and she saw his beautiful amber-flame eyes filled with reassurance.

"We will succeed, because of all of our kin, from both spheres, we alone know unconditional love." He scooped her into his arms and held her, neither speaking for a long time.

"Luc?"

"Yes, love?"

"I think we should go now." She smiled genuinely this time, her happiness setting her opaline eyes ablaze. "We have a child to conceive and a war to end. And we have to find the shifters first." One last kiss and they were off, traveling paths unknown to mortals, and all that was left was a bare clearing with a single oak tree already taking root.

In later years, people would see the tree and ask how an oak tree came to be in the middle of a pine forest. They would also wonder why instead of acorns it bore cherries. None would ever figure it out, though. And that suited its creators just fine. A little mystery was good for the soul.

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"Come on, Bella! You don't want to be late to class!" Alice practically drug her away from Edward, shouting over her shoulder as she ushered the brunette down the hall. "She'll see you at lunch!" Once in the room, though, Alice seemed content to let Bella take her time picking a seat and getting settled in. She flounced down into the seat beside Bella's, grinning widely.

"Okay," she whispered low enough that only Bella could hear it, "so Eric and Angela are both going to be in class with us, and Angela is going to come right over to sit beside you. I'll try and be non-threatening," she said with a giggle.

"Yes, please," whispered Bella as the duo in question stepped through the door. It was obvious that their relationship survived, and perhaps even flourished, over the summer. It was also obvious that, while Angela evinced no problem with sitting so near the infamous Weirdo Cullen, Eric wasn't so nonchalant. He did, however, sit right behind Angela, so Bella thought a lot of his nervousness was just unfamiliarity. True to her word, Alice just smiled and greeted them before opening her notebook and letting Bella get reacquainted with her friends.

"Angela, Mike! How was your summer?" Bella's voice was genuinely warm. She had always gotten along well with Angela, a lot more than anyone in the rest of the group. The girl's quiet demeanor and lack of prying had really raised her in Bella's estimation, and it seemed that her calm acceptance rolled off on Eric as well. He was still an animated speaker, prone to dramatic flourishes, but he was a lot less annoying, and Bella found herself laughing as he described the trips they'd made to the beach over the summer.

"...and then Angie here decided that she didn't want to be on the board anymore, so the jumped off of it, and -"

"Eric! I am so not speaking to you right now," Angela threatened with a laugh. Bella was giggling nonstop, and Eric continued as though his girlfriend hadn't spoken at all.

" - the board came down and smacked her on the shoulder as she hit the water. She's still got the bruise!" Angela slapped him playfully, and Bella noticed with happiness that her friend was a lot less timid.

"That's it. You can eat lunch by yourself today. Me and Bella and Alice will spend a girl's day in the cafeteria!" Alice looked thrilled to have been included, toning down her usual exuberance to express her agreement, and Bella couldn't have been happier that her friends were getting along. She knew it was going to be a difficult road to have the high school crew accept the Cullens, and that it may never happen totally, but this was a good start.

"So, Bella, how was your summer?" asked Eric with a grin.

"Yeah, how was Long Beach?" Angela's smile was far too knowing, and Bella tensed. Somehow her friend knew she'd never made it to the beach, though it was obvious that she hadn't told her boyfriend the truth. She had a moment of panic tempered by total thankfulness, and reminded herself to get Angela a nice present to show her appreciation. However, she had no idea what to say. Thankfully, Alice was ready, as usual.

"It was awesome! There was this one little shop on Belmont Shore, Bella, do you remember the name?"

"No," she said, trying to keep her response as close to truthful as possible since even she knew she couldn't lie to save her life, "Alice, we hit so many shops on one of your little excursions that I'm hard pressed to remember MY name afterward!" Angela and Eric laughed, though the expression on Angie's face said she wanted the real story later.

"Anyway, it was the most amazing little place! I just love vintage clothing, and this had a whole bunch of apparel from the 1940s - Glamour Girls and Gifts! That's the name! - anyway, we - Rosalie, Esme, and I - shanghaid Bella from Edward and dragged her along with us." Bella rolled her eyes, the reaction not entirely feigned. Alice saw it, of course. "Oh, don't give me that look, you know you enjoyed yourself! 'Oh, do you think Edward will like this one?'" Alice mimicked Bella's tone almost flawlessly, keeping Eric and Angela in stitches and Bella in blushes. "Why she'd ask me what kind of lingerie I think my brother would like -" Bella reached over and slapped the pixie on the arm, doing absolutely no damage, but Alice flinched and winced realistically.

"Alice!" she cried, not entirely faking her embarrassment.

"What? They asked! Anyway, so there was this AMAZING deli, and I mean absolutely scrumptious food!" Alice pretended to swoon. "Be still, my tastebuds!" At that point the bell rang and everyone scrambled to get seated and ready for class. As the teacher, Mr. Penstyl, walked in and began writing his name and the class objectives on the board, Bella felt a piece of folded paper slip under her arm. Angela settled back in her seat, not saying a word, looking for all the world like she was paying attention to the man at the front of the class. Bella took a quick moment to read the note.

_"My cousin is a travel agent, and she clued me in that an 'Isabella Cullen' had just gotten a passport and a ticket to Greece, alongside her new husband, Carlisle. She thought the name coincidence was hysterical. I don't plan on saying anything to anyone, but I do want to know what REALLY happened this summer. Details and all. *wink*"_ With a silent gasp Bella shot her friend a terrified look. Angela responded by placing her hand gently on Bella's arm, mouthing "no worries" before pulling her hand back. Bella, meanwhile, tore the note into as many pieces as she could do without the teacher noticing, then stuffed them in her jeans pocket. She shot a look to Alice, who steadfastly refused to meet her gaze.

~She's got some serious explaining to do. She could have let me know this would come up!~ Bella fumed inwardly, forgetting that she wasn't the only one in her thoughts anymore.

~Who could have let you know what?~ Startled, Bella dropped her pen, and on bending down to pick it up she smacked her head into the corner of the desk. Half of the students in the class jumped at the loud 'thunk' sound, and most began laughing.

"Guess some things don't change, right Bella?" came Lauren's catty voice from across the room. Bella turned beet red. She'd been so busy talking to her friends that she'd missed Lauren come into the classroom. Wanting nothing more than to dive under the linoleum and turn into a slug, she sat back in her seat and tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

~This day needs to be over. Twenty minutes ago.~ Wisely, Carlisle's voice in her head remained totally silent.

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Author's note: Ahh, school. I remember those days well. The awkwardness of the first day of school. Unfortunately, moving so much...well, suffice it to say I had a LOT of first days. And not a single damned one of them was anything other than a debacle of the hugest proportions. :-P At least Bella's got her friends to help her through...though with Angela having a bit more information than Bella (or I, honestly) expected, she might soon wish she were alone for a day, LOL. At any rate, this is only first period. *shakes head* I hope the EPBs decide to take it easy on her, 'cause they're back in full swing and hungry for schooltime capers. And fudge brownie ice cream. They seem to want a lot of that lately.

I know I've been kind of poo at responding to all of the awesome reviews and PMs I've gotten, and I want to let you all know that it's not because I don't love you - 'cause I do, totally - but that I've got so little time or mental coherancy to write at the moment that I thought you'd all prefer I post chapters, and reply when I get a chance, rather than the other way around. But I wanted to do a whole group 'thank you' shout-out - you all are the greatest!!! Thanks so much for all your support and comments and questions and random observations! :-D


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: RED ALERT. The following scenes contain Edward and Jasper and lunchtime silliness. You have been warned. If you enjoy it, thank me. If you don't, blame my EPBs. That said, on with the show.

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The rest of her classes had gone...well, typically. Her last class before lunch was chemistry, and the sight of her bronze-haired god leaning against his locker, an enormous smile on his face as she rounded the corner, cheered her more than anything else could have. Never having been one for really public displays of affection, nevertheless Bella couldn't and didn't complain in the least when he swooped her into his arms and kissed her senseless before placing a hand on the small of her back and escorting her into the classroom. He'd already picked out seats for them at the lab table closest to the windows, and it brought back memories as she slid into her seat beside him. He noticed her smile to herself and gently brushed her cheek with a cool fingertip.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he murmured. She just shook her head and looked over at him.

"Just thinking how far we've come since the first time I sat next to you in class." His smile was radiant, and she was amazed it was possible to feel so in love with someone without exploding. He curled his hand around hers, bringing it to his lips and pressing a quick kiss on her knuckles.

"We did have a bit of a road. But we made it, thanks to you."

"To me?" Bella asked, and he nodded.

"If you hadn't kept wanting answers, being you, then I would have torn myself away no matter what. But knowing you felt something for me too...I tried to stay away, but I failed."

"I'm glad," she said simply, staring into his golden eyes until the bell rang. Class went by in kind of a blur, as most first days do, and she doodled on her notebook while the teacher droned on and on about the year's goals. She noticed Edward watching out of the corner of his eye and couldn't decipher the expression on his face. She'd drawn the people from her dream, the man and woman, and the cloud that was following them without being aware she was really doing it. It wasn't until she got out her colored pencils to work on their eyes that she realized what she was doing, but anything was better than listening to the new teacher's monotone voice going over common-sense rules like 'one should not eat one's creations in this class' and 'until told, it is a bad idea to light a burner underneath a compound.' She was having a hard time getting the exact shading on their eyes right, but by the end of class she'd come up with a passable equivalent to the man's coppery-red and the woman's pale, silvery green ones. She hadn't been paying attention to the time, so when the bell rang for lunch she jumped nearly out of her seat, and only Edward's quick reflexes kept her from landing on the ground under the table. Looking into his eyes, she was surprised to see worry there.

"What's wrong, Edward?" she asked quietly, not wanting to draw any attention to their conversation if she could help it. He just shook his head and shouldered her backpack.

"We'll talk at lunch," was the only answer he gave before offering her his arm. He asked her about her day so far as they headed to the lunchroom, but it was obvious that he wasn't totally focused on her answers. They reached the lunch hall to find Alice and Jasper already there, having claimed the 'Cullen' table for the four of them. After dropping Bella's backpack on her chair, the four walked together to the lunchline to get trays of food that only Bella would be eating. As they walked, she felt an odd wave of calm skirt around her and realized that Jasper had picked up on whatever was bothering Edward and was trying to take the edge off. She smiled thankfully at him. The only one in the group to actually speak before they got back to the table was Alice, and she was regaling Bella with tales of her own last period and the hopelessness of her teacher.

"Honestly, I was tempted to go up and take over. I mean, how difficult is it to speak a language fluently whenever you've lived in the country most of your life? I swear, I could speak better German in my sleep!" Bella just raised an eyebrow and grinned, and Alice chuckled. "Well, you know what I mean." By this time they'd reached the table and sat down. Without asking, Edward reached into Bella's backpack and pulled out her notebook, deftly flipping to the drawing she'd done in chemistry and wordlessly handing it over to Jasper. The blonde vampire took it, regarding the image thoughtfully for a long time.

"Do you see it?" Edward asked, the first words he'd spoken since they left class. Bella was munching on a carrot stick as Jasper nodded solemnly.

"Yes, I do. This is unusual."

"Would someone tell me what on earth is so fascinating about my doodle?" She was beginning to lose her patience now, feeling as though they were talking over her, and Alice reached out to take her hand. Jasper handed the notebook back to her and let her put it away before he spoke.

"What do you know about those people you drew?"

"Huh? Nothing, really. It was a dream I had this morning."

"A dream? Do you remember anything else?"

"No, just the man and woman running from..." she trailed off, blushing a bit, and Alice chuckled.

"What's so embarrassing?" the dark-haired pixie asked.

"Well, have you ever seen _The Neverending Story_?" Bella asked timidly. They all nodded, Alice smiling.

"That was such an awesome movie!"

"Well, in my dream, it was kind of like they were...running from the Nothing." She looked around, expecting chuckles, but the only one still smiling was Alice, and she could tell that her best friend's grin was a little forced. "Okay, so what's wrong? What is wrong with my picture? It's a doodle!" She felt Edward rest his hand on hers and she turned to look at him.

"We'll explain it after school. I want to ask Carlisle first. He might have some idea that I've - that we've - missed." He gave her a fond smile. "Now, eat something. You've got one more class, and then PE, and you don't want to be weak when your questionable physical prowess is called on." He grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Gee thanks, Edward. You'd think," she said, turning to Alice with a conspiratorial expression, "that I could at least trust my boyfriend not to point out the fact that I'm a complete klutz." She'd decided to drop the subject of her drawing. She knew Edward well enough by now to know that he wasn't going to say anything else to her until he was ready, so she resolved to forget about it and just try and survive the rest of the day.

"Oh, don't worry, Bella," chimed Alice. "Jasper will be there to protect you from yourself." The vampire in question waggled his eyebrows in a comical fashion reminiscent of Emmett and flexed a bicep, his lean muscles apparent even in the loose-fitting shirt he was wearing, causing Edward to nearly double over with laughter.

"I think you've got a fan club this year, Jazz," he chuckled. "Though you should really be careful where you show off that 'hella hot physique,' because you nearly gave a freshman girl and her friends heart attacks." The blonde one glanced over his shoulder, following Edward's line of sight to rest his gaze on a table full of giggling first-year female students. The boldest one of the group winked at him and blew him a kiss, setting her friends off into peals of laughter. Bella couldn't help herself. She leaned back in her chair and laughed until she felt tears come to her eyes. The situation was made even more amusing by Jasper's obvious embarrassment and the way he tried to scoot his chair closer to Alice's without making it obvious. His actions spoke louder than words could have, though, and Alice began to chuckle.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll protect you from the hordes of drooling frosh girls," she said, laughing, before spinning in her chair and fixing the entire giggling group with a stare that Bella knew from experience was intimidating as hell. Immediately all laughter at the table stopped, and all but one of the freshmen suddenly found something absolutely fascinating on their plates. The one girl, apparently the leader of the group, stood her ground against Alice, meeting her stare for stare. Bella was amused beyond belief.

"Oh-oh, Alice. You just might have a rival for your fair hero's affections this year. This girl doesn't plan to give up on Jasper so easily. She thinks she can take you on." Edward delivered this information in a low, whispered voice, and that was it for Bella. Collapsing back into her chair, she laughed and laughed until she could barely breathe.

"Alice...could beat her...into the ground...with one hand behind her back," she gasped between bursts of chuckling.

"Damn straight. No one lays plans for MY man," she said fiercely, bouncing into Jasper's lap and feeling his arms wind around her smaller frame. "You better not be getting any thoughts about going off with a younger woman," she said in mock severity. He shook his head, feigning fear.

"Of course not, dear! If I were going to run off with a younger woman, it would be Bella!" His voice was purposefully loud enough to carry over to the girls' table. Bella placed the back of her hand against her forehead, slumping into her chair and playing along.

"Oh, the thought! The rapture! That Jasper Hale might find me worthy of his attentions!" She fanned herself with a napkin, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh-ho, brother! I see now that you have designs on my woman!" Edward jumped to his feet in a completely uncharacteristic display of playfulness. "Stand and face me, man to man, so that we may settle this claim once and for all!" Bella just gaped. Edward, playing along? He'd never been one to make himself stand out before, but here he was, standing at the table, a pencil held in his outstretched hand like a fine steel rapier. She realized it was all a ruse to distract her from asking questions about what bothered him so much about her drawing, and she thought that if it was serious enough to warrant him making a spectacle of himself in the lunchroom, then it was probably best that discussion waited until they were at the Cullen home after school. But she wasn't about to tell him she'd given in so easily. This promised to be too entertaining to miss. Apparently Alice came to the same conclusion as she bounced off of Jasper's lap and sat in the chair next to Bella that Edward had recently vacated.

"This is going to be great!" she squealed under her breath, watching as Jasper leapt to his feet as well, spork in hand.

"Should the lady not have a chance to speak for herself, brother? Is she but a parcel of meat to you, to be owned and divided as you see fit?" Jasper's voice was cultured and practiced, and he flourished his paltry plastic weapon with a skill that bespoke many years of swordplay, somehow making the flimsy spork seem threatening. Edward was not phased in the slightest, brandishing the yellow #2 in a similar fashion. Neither one seemed to notice their audience, the other students in the lunch room staring, giggling, pointing as they circled each other in mock fury.

"What the hell HAPPENED over the summer?" Bella jumped when she heard Jessica's voice in her ear. "They're usually so quiet!" Alice giggled.

"We made 'em promise not to be such sticks this year. With Emmett and Rosalie graduated and planning their wedding, Bella and I thought we wanted to have some fun now."

"Well, this is fun, alright!" chimed in Angela, who had come up to join them.

"Rescind those words, or be brother to me no more!" Edward said, lunging gracefully, and just as easily Jasper parried, the two turning a mock battle into something that looked perfectly choreographed. By this time most of the room was stopping to stare, including the lunchroom monitors and, Bella noticed from the corner of her eye, the drama teacher, Miss Donnaven. The middle-aged thespian was watching attentively, a calculating look in her eyes.

"Alice," Bella whispered, pointing to the teacher. Her best friend just laughed harder.

"I'll stay my tongue not at all, for the honor of the fair maiden Bella begs - nay, requires - a champion!" He stopped his advance on Edward and knelt by Bella's chair, causing her to turn completely red. "I beg thee, allow me the privilege of dispatching this arrogant cur, and then, my love, we shall be wed, and you shall wish for naught, ever again." To Bella's immense shock she realized this entire scene was turning her on. Jasper noticed too, as he slipped her a quick wink that went unnoticed by anyone else but Alice. The naturally caffeinated pixie, however, decided tog et in on the fun and stood up from her chair, whacking Jasper playfully on the back of the head.

"How DARE thou make promises to another whilst I, your bride-to-be, sits faithfully and awaits your attentions? You cad! You thoughtless rube!"

"Ah, she has you there, my brother," came Edward's voice in satisfied tones. "Shall we call this a draw and return to our lovely ladies, who pine for our affectionate presence?" Lowering the pencil, he held out his hand as a signal of truce. Jasper, after a theatrical moment of deliberation, turned and clasped his hand warmly.

"A draw it shall be, brother. Let us not keep our princesses waiting for long, else they find someone better for their futures than we." With that, Edward and Jasper sat back down in their chairs and began talking normally as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all. After a few moments, someone in the back of the cafeteria began to clap, the sound coaxing others to join in. Soon the air was full of applause and cries for encores, which both Cullens completely ignored. Jessica and Angela wandered back to their own seats, and Bella scooted closer to lay her head on Edward's chest.

"That was amazingly entertaining, Edward," she whispered. "But I want answers. I'm just willing to wait now." He tensed slightly, then drew her closer.

"I promise you'll get any answers we have. Just know that it may not be a lot. This is more a hunch than anything definite." The bell rang loudly, startling Bella, but with his arms around her she knew she wouldn't fall. They stood up and the four of them began walking to the lunch room door. They'd almost made it into the hallway when a high, precise voice reached them.

"Misters Cullen?" All four turned to see Donnaven standing there, a hesitant look on her face.

"Yes?" asked Edward quietly, and Bella poked him surreptitiously in the side to remind him not to dazzle the poor woman, who honestly lookd like she was already halfway there.

"Erm, yes, I was wondering...have you or your brother ever given any thought to being in our Drama Club? It's quite enjoyable, and you boys are naturals. That was an amazing performance!" she gushed, causing Bella and Alice to bite back laughs.

"We had considered it once," Edward spoke for himself and Jasper, keeping his tone even and serious, "until we realized that neither one of us is comfortable being the center of attention, so the idea fell to the side as we pursued other interests. But it was a pleasure to talk to you, Miss Donnaven," he finished, clearly a dismissal, and turned to walk away. Bella risked a glance over her shoulder to see the woman standing, staring after them, a confused look on her face.

"That was mean, Ed," said Alice with a smirk. "She's going to be sitting at home tonight trying to figure out how you didn't notice yourselves as the center of attention today. You've got her befuddled for weeks!" They'd reached their separation point in the hallway, Edward giving Bella a last kiss before letting her walk off with Alice.

"Yes, but they'll be the most interesting weeks of her life," quipped Jasper. Brushing a quick kiss across Alice's cheek, he headed down the hallway, deep in conversation with Edward, and the girls watched their men go.

"Well, that was a hell of a lunch. Let's go endure our next two classes so we can go home." Bella couldn't agree with her more.


	7. Chapter 7

Bella saw the teacher wince as she passed by him in the hallway and walked into PE. It really didn't do anything for her confidence. Seeing Jasper, however, sitting on a bench and patting the seat beside him, did wonders and she walked over to flop down next to him.

"How was your last class, darlin'?" he asked in a voice low enough that only she heard, as everyone else was milling around the room talking to their own friends.

"A blast compared to how this one's going to be. No offense, Jazz, but I am really glad I can't hurt you, because otherwise I'd be afraid for the well-being of your life and limbs." He just chuckled and ruffled her hair in a playful manner.

"You'll be fine, Isabella," he chided gently. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," she muttered darkly.

"So he gets to call you Isabella but you bite the head off of anyone else who does that? Does Edward know you're so chummy with his brother?" Mike's voice intruded rather unwelcomely on the tingly feelings Jasper's smooth accent was causing and Bella had to deliberately remove the annoyance from her features before she looked up.

"He only gets to call me that because he won a bet against me over the summer. How's everything going, Mike?" Her words were cool rather than warm, and Jasper chuckled under his breath as the dismissal went straight over Newton's head. Instead, Mike sat down right beside Bella, a little too close for her comfort. She leaned backward into Jasper's solid form almost imperceptibly.

"Great, great. You should have spent some time with us this year. You would have loved the waves at La Push. Oh, wait, you were too busy taking off to Long Beach with your new best friends. Sorry, forgot." His voice held the bitter note of puppy love scorned, and it annoyed her to no end.

"Mike, I swear, if you can't be civil, I'm just not going to bother talking to you." He immediately looked abashed and Bella felt almost sorry for the way she'd spoken. Almost.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'd just hoped you and I - and the rest of the group too! - could have hung out during summer vacation."

"Yes, we did rather monopolize her time this year," said Jasper calmly. Bella was shocked that he was speaking up at all. "But you see, it's not every year we have someone new in the family that we can pamper and spoil. The rest of us are just too used to being able to do what we wish. It's refreshing to introduce someone as wonderful as Bella to new delights and experiences." Okay, now she was blushing. Luckily Mike's attention was focused on his rebuttal to Jasper rather than the current reddened state of Bella's cheeks, so she was able to shoot Jasper a warning look and try to get herself under control. New experiences, indeed! Jasper just smiled at her, that quirky, silly grin that always made her laugh.

"Yeah, you Cullens do what you want, all right. Just because your dad's some sort of hotshot surgeon you think you can treat the rest of us like we don't exist. And then when the new pretty girl shows up at the school you snag her, pull her away from everyone else, brainwash her practically!" He had jumped up by now and was shouting, getting angrier that his outburst wasn't phasing Jasper in the slightest.

"Are you finished?" the vampire asked, his voice cool, his accent deliberately pronounced. It was a subtle reminder to the entrie room - most of whom were gathered around now to watch the squabble between the jock and the recluse - that whereas Mike was your average kid, Jasper was anything but. If the tone of voice weren't enough, the deceptive ease with which he was leaning on the bench, one arm loosely draped over the back of Bella's section, giving the appearance of a puma in repose certainly served his purpose.

"I don't know if I'm finished! Bella, what on earth do you see in these arrogant weirdos?" She'd had enough.

"Mike, I'll talk to you later, after you've cooled down." She tried to give him a way out, a way to back off without having to slink away like a beaten dog, but he was too riled to accept it.

"No, I want to know! Is it because they're hot? They're rich? Hell, if it's the money you're after you'd do better to hop into bed with the doctor! Being Edward's slut isn't liable to get you very far." The entire class jumped as her hand slammed out to connect with his cheek. But it was the sight of Jasper standing, slowly and gracefully, a look of pure venom in his eyes that made them all take a step back. Mike, however, though he realized he'd lost this fight, was in too deep for his pride to allow him to back down.

"What, Cullen? You're gonna slap me too?"

"You're lucky it was Bella that connected and not me," he growled. "If I'd have hit you, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now." Bella was worried. She could feel his anger building. She placed a gentle hand on his hip to get his attention.

"It's okay, Jazz, Mike was just leaving. Class is about to start anyway." He looked down at her, his eyes full of rage, and she smiled hesitantly. "Come on, sit back down. Don't beat him, he's not worth the trouble it would cause. And remember? You're supposed to protect me from myself this year." He turned his gaze back to Mike, who was standing his ground though it looked as if he wanted nothing more than to run.

"Because she asks it, I won't hurt you. But I swear to you, if you ever call Bella a slut again, even in jest, or use any disparaging tone or words with her, it will take more than her wishes to stop me."

"What's going on here?" the angry voice of Mr. Smitty rang out as the burly man walked into the gym. Bella tugged on Jasper's waistline, coaxing him down beside her on the bench again. Mike, his expression a mix of something that wasn't anger, wasn't fear, but a healthy dose of both, took a step back, then another, his eyes never leaving Jasper. The teacher pushed his way through the crowd, and Bella watched as he took in the scene - Jasper and Bella sitting on the bench, apparently doing nothing important at all, with Mike standing in front of them, puffed up like the school bully.

"Newton! I don't know what's gotten into you over the summer, but you've become a real pain in the ass. Now if you don't drop the attitude and straighten yourself out, I swear I will have you in detention for the rest of your natural life."

"But Cullen -"

"No buts," said Smitty authoritatively. "In case you forgot, I was the one whose car window was treated to your baseball bat after your little bender at the beach last month. So don't you start blaming anyone else for your attitude. You used to be an okay kid, but lately I've been tempted more than once to talk to your father." Mike turned absolutely white and stammered a response.

"N-no, sir, that's n-not neces-necessary."

"Good. Now that that's settled, I want everyone over against the wall. We're going to take attendance, and then I'm going to explain out goals for the year." He looked at the class, most of whom were still staring from Jasper to Mike and back again. "Come on, hop to!" With that he clapped his hands and twenty-one startled students scurried for the far wall. Jasper stood and pulled Bella to her feet, walking beside her across the floor.

"I should have punched the little bastard," he said quietly. She shook her head.

"No, it would just cause problems. I'd like this year to be as anti-problematic as it can be." He didn't echo her chuckle, instead walking just a shade closer to her, and Bella realized that something really had him bothered. She'd bet it was the same thing that had Edward on edge. But she knew her answers were forthcoming, so she steeled herself to survive PE. She'd worry about everything else later.

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Author's note: Poor Mike. Not. Still, something had to have happened over the summer months to have changed him so much. Wonder what it was?


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: Just a little bit of mindless fluff to start your day. Well, a bit of mindless fluff, and a bit of a twist.

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She was tired. She was sweaty. And more than anything she was already sick of her PE class, though it was only the end of the first day. Luckily - and mostly thanks to Jasper - she hadn't accidentally killed or maimed anyone today, and she felt a lot of relief at that, but mostly she just wanted to shower and go home. She wasted time until most of the girls in the class had already finished up and left the locker room before she grabbed her towel and shampoo and headed to the showers. She was in luck - the last girl was just shutting off the water and wrapping her towel around her as Bella walked in. It made her a lot more relaxed to know she'd have a chance to shower by herself. There was just something...weird...about having to take a shower in a roomful of other girls, most of whom she either didn't know or didn't like. Flinging her towel haphazardly over the rod by the door, she quickly yanked off her PE shorts and t-shirt and made her way to a shower towards the back, the furthest from the door. It didn't take long for Bella to get the water to the temperature she wanted, and she just stood there for a moment, palms pressed flat against the wall, leaning forward with her head bowed to feel the wonderful massaging water as it cascaded from the nape of her neck down over her shoulders, running down the slope of her back. She suddenly felt someone behind her and would have jumped and screamed if not for the fact that she instinctively knew who it was.

"You look good enough to eat, darlin'. I should know," came the soft, amused drawl from behind her as his hands began to rub her aching shoulders with a gentle skill. She supposed she should turn around, remind him that they were in a public school, but she figured Jasper knew that, and his fingers against her sore muscles felt so good she decided not to ruin it. She let her head fall completely forward, relaxing into his capable hands and moaning with pleasure.

"You, Jasper, are amazing," she murmured. She could almost feel his grin.

"I live to please, Bella darlin'," he chuckled, his hands working steadily lower, pulling out kinks and knots in muscles she didn't even know she had, and leaving her relaxed and limp.

"God, Jasper," she moaned. "I could die happy right now." Just when she thought she couldn't possibly feel any better, she felt his cool lips caressing the nape of her neck, and her knees buckled. He caught her easily, hands on her waist as he stroked his tongue over her wet skin, trailing kisses across both shoulders and starting his way down her spine. He planted kisses on each of her hips while working his hands down her legs, and the relaxation she'd been feeling began to slowly mutate to something else. She knew he could feel her arousal, and when he moaned softly under his breath Bella knew she was done for. She turned slowly, eyes seeking his as he knelt at her feet. It was then that she noticed that he was totally nude.

"You're naked!" she exclaimed quietly. He just favored her with one of his quirky grins.

"Well, of course I am. Did you think I'd shower fully dressed?" He stood slowly, his eyes on hers, watching her watch him. Her eyes snapped down to the proof of his arousal as she leaned back against the wall.

"You're so beautiful," he said softly, running one finger along her collarbone, his eyes never leaving her face. "I hope you realize I plan to have you. Right now." She shivered.

"But Jasper, we're at school! Anyone could hear, come in to investigate." He grinned, and she knew she'd lost what little protest she had.

"Then you'd best be quiet, hadn't you?" His lips came down over hers as he reached behind her and after a moment she felt the scalding water get steadily cooler, hot to warm to lukewarm as her skin got more and more sensitive in response to his touches. "We are going to have to be quick, though," he whispered against her hair. "Are you okay with that?" She nodded, and that was all the consent he needed. In the next instant he had her held in his strong grip, her legs wrapping around his waist as he pulled her down on top of his swollen rod. The water washed over both of them, cool and wet, making their skin slick as they slid together. She wrapped her arms around his neck and threw her head back as he took over, lifting and lowering her, setting the pace as he moved within her.

"Talk to me, darlin'," he whispered. She blushed at the thought, but her mouth apparently didn't have any objections.

"God...Jasper...I am so addicted to your cock," she whispered, the words shocking her as much as they obviously inflamed him. He moaned and pulled her down harder onto the object in question, grinding his pubic bone against her clit. She squealed, his mouth clamping down on hers as she came suddenly, absorbing the scream she would have undoubtedly voiced. It was shocking, intense, and she was shaking as the sensation faded. She vaguely felt him drop to the shower floor, still cradling her as she spasmed around him.

"Get on your knees, darlin', so you don't get water in your eyes." He pulled himself from her tight depths with a groan and she scrambled to obey, bracing herself on the wet tiles as well as she could. He leaned over her, breath tickling her ear as he spoke.

"I think I like you best like this," he whispered, his soft voice driving her batty, one hand reaching up to rub at her nipples. "Pressing back against me, so ready for me, a slinky cat in heat just waiting for me to mate you."

"Then stop teasing and fuck me already," she snarled quietly, arching her back to give him unhindered access. He took the invitation, sliding into her so fast and so deep that it took her breath away.

"Jasper...yes...like that..." She didn't trust herself to remain quiet, so instead she just dropped her head to her arms, the motion lifting her ass even higher, letting him work his cock even deeper, and she bit her own arm to keep from moaning loudly at the sensation. He stayed quiet as well, neither of them wanting to risk being caught - not because they'd get in trouble but because it would mean they'd have to stop. Privately, Bella hoped even if they were caught that he wouldn't stop, that he'd just keep pounding her until they were both finished and damn the consequences. She could feel herself building to a powerful climax, his even, powerful thrusts pushing her closer, closer...

"Bella...yes, god, yes...oh...unh..." He pinched her nipples hard, and she shrieked into her arm as she contracted around him, her own orgasm triggering his, milking his pulsing cock as he drained himself into her. To Bella it seemed to last forever, strong and intense, and she would later wonder what made it so powerful - the fact that she hadn't had sex in almost three days, or that it was Jasper, or that they were in the girl's locker room shower rutting like animals. After a while he began to caress her shoulders, pulling himself reluctantly from her.

"That is a wonderful way to unwind after a hard day's PE," he murmured, standing and helping her to her feet, shampooing her hair for her as she rinsed their combined juices from her legs. "We should do this more often."

"I think that can be arranged," she murmured, turning to step into his embrace. "Right now, though...I want to go home." Jasper paused, leaning back to look at her.

"Back to Charlie's?" he asked quietly. She shook her head.

"I may live with my dad, but when I think of home I think of your house, with our wonderful family. And I hope someday I'll be able to be a permanent part of it." He grinned, a secretive smile that had her wondering what was going on in his head.

"Come on, then," he said, not giving voice to his thoughts. "Let's go home." They dressed quickly and hurried out the door, both of them too preoccupied with their own thoughts to notice the man standing in the shadows of the locker room where he'd stood to watch everything that had just transpired. The man snickered to himself and headed back out the door and down the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

Near the north end of the beach, where the sun's dying rays casting their glittering gemstones of light over the waves, the water began to roil. It started as a simple ripple moving outward from a central point about a hundred yards from the shore, but as the center of the ripple moved closer to land the ripples became waves, smooth and relentless. Nearer and nearer the ripples came, until two figures emerged from the depths and strode onto the beach. Without a sound they vanished into the surrounding forest, leaving the newborn moon to futilely cast its silver light on an empty beach, devoid of anything save footprints that were soon swept away by the careless tide.

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Edward had smirked at them as they walked the door after school, his grin saying everything, and when Bella got close enough Alice dragged her into the back seat of the Volvo. Jasper claimed shotgun while Edward climbed behind the wheel, and soon they were peeling out of the school parking lot.

"Jazz, you know I wanted to be her first school fuck!" Alice whined. Her husband just laughed.

"I'm sorry, honey bunch," he drawled with a smile, letting his accent grow out of proportions and roll off his tongue like butter. "But I just saw her in the shower there in the locker room and she was just lookin' all soft an' slick and purty as a picture and I jus' had ta have her."

"Jasper, I think your South is showing," quipped Edward from the driver's seat. Bella howled with laughter. She was still chuckling a few minutes later when they pulled up in front of the house. Walking inside, Bella saw the rest of the family already gathered in the sitting room. She shot a questioning glance at Edward, but all he said was "I didn't think you'd be patient enough to wait any longer for whatever answers we can give you." Nodding, she sat down on the couch. Edward dropped down beside her, while Jasper and Alice folded themselves gracefully to the floor near Rosalie and Emmett - both of whom were uncharacteristically silent. Something was definitely bothering her family, she thought absently.

"Can I see your drawing?" asked Carlisle quietly. She nodded and pulled her notebook out, flipping to the page with ease and handing it to him. For a long moment he just stared at it before handing it to Esme. She looked at it as well before meeting her husband's gaze and nodding once.

"Will someone tell me what's wrong with my doodle?"

"Hee hee...she said 'doodle'," said Emmett in a childish voice, obviously trying to inject some humor into the somber room. It probably would have worked, too, if anyone had been paying attention.

"Bella, you said you dreamed this?" She nodded in response to Esme's question.

"May I look?" Carlisle's question was respectful, but Bella could feel the concern, and she knew what he was really asking didn't have anything to do with the drawing, but rather the dream that sparked it. Swallowing hard, she nodded.

"Sure," she replied, her voice soft. He came over to drop to his knees in front of her, holding her gaze with his own.

"Close your eyes, Bella. Remember what I've taught you. Things seem clearer sometimes with your eyes closed." She obeyed wordlessly, letting his voice wash over her. "Now, think back to the dream. I'm going to view it through your memory, so just try and recall as much as you can." Through the bond she felt his presence in her mind become stronger, and she let herself drift back to the dream.

_~a beautiful woman with shining hair...a gorgeous man with a darkness about him...their hands joined, a silvery-grey light shining from them...they ran...they ran fast...mountains and streams, rivers and rocks and roads, places uknown to men...behind them, a cloud...always a cloud trailing, a darkness, a force...and they were so frightened...they felt no wrong though they knew they were...fleeing their fate...the cloud upon them...a flash of gold...and flash of fur...and then~_

Bella gasped, snapping out of it. Carlisle also jumped, more from her sudden alertness than shock, though that was plainly written on his features as well.

"That was when I woke up," she said, apology plain in her voice. "I'm sorry I don't remember more." Edward's arms were around her, pulling her closer, and she missed the look he shot at his father. Carlisle missed nothing; he just chose not to respond, instead sitting back in his own seat. The questioning looks from his family bombarded him while he obviously tried to gather his thoughts. Finally the silence was broken.

"Is there something wrong with me, Carlisle?" He locked his eyes to hers, and in their golden depths she saw a myriad emotions flashing by. Worry and fear she could understand, confusion...well, that was a given. What she wasn't prepared for was the shock and the awe that also lingered there.

"No, Bella. Nothing's wrong. Quite the contrary." He looked meaningfully at Edward, who gasped aloud.

"Are you sure?" he asked. The doctor just nodded, then turned back to the very perplexed and frustrated human.

"Bella, I believe...I know...that you are a spirit dreamer. It's a very rare gift, even among our kind. It means that you have the ability to pick up on the fluxes of spiritual and extra-ordinary energies around the world, and they'll manifest in your dreams. I've only heard of it in theory...it's another thing that most thing doesn't exist."

"Like blood bonds," Bella said with a wry smile.

"Exactly." Carlisle smiled thoughtfully. "I'm wondering how many 'myths' are really anything but. At any rate, if I'm right, what you were dreaming is another of our 'myths'."

"Which is?" she asked, ridiculously curious now.

"The second war in heaven."

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Author's Note: Bet you didn't see that one coming. I sure as hell didn't, when I set out to write a new conflict. *shakes head at the EPBs, but gives them treats anyway* You guys have sure given me a huge damn task now. I don't know if I should give you treats or smack you with fish.

Anyway, shout out to my wonderful wonderful reviewers! I'd name you all, but I need to be at work at 4am, so I need to sleep sometime. Just rest assured, you all are awesome! Absolutely the coolest! And after a week like this one, it's been a huge boost to see so many positive, friendly messages and reviews. I wish upon you many yummies and much happies. And now - off to sleep. Perchance to dream..?


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